Land Transport Rules – questions & answers

Omnibus Amendment 2015

1. What is Land Transport Rule: Omnibus Amendment 2015?

Land Transport Rule: Omnibus Amendment 2015 (‘the Omnibus Amendment Rule’ or ‘the Rule’) is a document prepared for public consultation that contained proposals to make changes to three existing Land Transport Rules. An Omnibus Amendment Rule is produced annually to group together relatively minor or technical and consequential amendments. These types of changes need to be made often as other legislation and industry requirements change.

2. What amendment Rules resulted from the Omnibus Amendment 2015?

For the purposes of consultation, proposed amendments to three Land Transport Rules were combined into the Omnibus Amendment Rule. Following consultation, the provisions in the Omnibus Amendment Rule were split into the following amendment Rules:

• Land Transport Rule: Heavy Vehicles Amendment 2015
• Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices Amendment 2015
• Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting Amendment 2015.

3. What are the reasons for the amendments being made?

The minor changes to three Land Transport Rules are necessary for a variety of reasons. These include:

• clarifying or modifying current requirements to assist understanding and enforcement
• removing unnecessary or unintended requirements to reduce the burden of compliance (without diminishing safety standards)
• amending requirements to accord with and incorporate current practices and technology
• correcting errors in cross-references, descriptions and technical specifications in current Rules.

4. Which Land Transport Rules have been amended?

The following Land Transport Rules have been amended:

• Land Transport Rule: Heavy Vehicles 2004
• Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004
• Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting 2004.

5. What changes have been made in the amendment Rules?

Heavy Vehicles 2004

• The changes to the Heavy Vehicles Rule:
• add fifth wheels and kingpins that comply with ‘UN/ECE Regulation 55’ to the list of heavy vehicle inspection and certification requirements
• align the provisions for fifth wheels that comply with ‘UN/ECE Regulation 55’ with the new provisions relating to kingpins
• include ‘UN/ECE Regulation 55’ as an allowable standard for vehicles where the kingpins and associated skid plates have been installed and certified by the manufacturer of the vehicle as meeting this standard
• clarify references to certain dates relating to 90mm diameter kingpins.

Traffic Control Devices 2004

• The changes to the Traffic Control Devices Rule:
• allow road controlling authorities (RCAs) to install road markings for warning or advisory purposes in addition to the regulatory purposes currently allowed
• clarify that an RCA must consider the risk to road users from any object placed on a raised traffic island and where necessary mitigate that risk
• clarify that signs are required on both roadway approaches to school crossing points
• allow an exception from the normal requirement to mark reserved parking spaces with yellow road markings and ordinary parking with white road markings; the proposed exception would allow for parking spaces which are reserved for residents’ parking to be marked white, unless the parking spaces are reserved 24 hours a day
• align the definition of ‘light-rail vehicle lane’ with the requirements for light-rail vehicle lanes elsewhere in the Traffic Control Devices Rule
• add the option of a flashing roundel to a variable speed limit sign (instead of flashing orange lights in the corner of the sign); the amendment will also allow numerals to be 25% larger than on static signs to account for the over-glow effect of LED signs
• add the following new signs:
  • ‘Except named class of vehicle’ supplementary sign
  • ‘Barriers not working’ supplementary sign for use by workers repairing barrier arms at railway level crossings
  • ‘crash’ sign for use by the Police
  • ‘breakdown’ sign for use by workers who are removing a temporary hazard caused by a breakdown
  • ‘active LED railway crossing at curve’ warning sign
• make minor corrections to the specifications of two signs.

Vehicle Lighting Rule 2004

• The changes to the Vehicle Lighting Rule:
• replace a reference to Land Transport New Zealand with a reference to the New Zealand Transport Agency
• clarify that forward-facing side-marker lamps fitted to vehicles manufactured on or after 1 January 2006 must emit light that is substantially amber
• amend the description of the width of a heavy motor vehicle in relation to end-outline marker lamps so that it aligns with other similar descriptions in the Vehicle Lighting Rule and overseas standards.

Consultation and publication

6. When do these amendment Rules come into force?

All the amendment Rules come into force on 1 November 2015. Until then the current requirements continue to apply.

7. Was the public consulted on the amendments?

Yes. On 12 June 2015, the NZ Transport Agency advised about 1,400 groups and individuals registered on the Rules consultation database, by letter or email, of the proposed changes and invited them to make submissions. Printed copies of the Omnibus Amendment Rule and a summary of the proposed changes were made available on request. The Omnibus Amendment Rule and accompanying information were also made available on the NZ Transport Agency’s website.

Public notices seeking submissions were published in the daily newspapers in the major centres (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin) and in the New Zealand Gazette. The NZ Transport Agency received 12 submissions on the amendment proposals. The submissions were taken into account in preparing the amendment Rules for signing.

7. What is the legal basis for the amendment rules?

The Land Transport Act 1998 allows the Minister of Transport to make and amend Land Transport Rules.

8. Where can I get copies of the rules?

• Rules are available on our website.
• Printed copies of land transport rules can be purchased from selected bookshops throughout New Zealand that sell legislation.
• Rules can also be purchased from the Rule printers and distributors, Wickliffe NZ Ltd, PO Box 932 Dunedin 9054, or by telephoning (06) 353 2700. Rules can also be inspected at the National Office and regional offices of the NZ Transport Agency.

9. How will the NZ Transport Agency make sure people know about the amendment rules?

A newsletter outlining the Rule changes is being sent to the groups and individuals who have registered their interest in Rules that have been amended. Where necessary, the NZ Transport Agency will advise relevant industry groups of the changes. It will also update any relevant Factsheets or other information material available on its website to reflect the changes brought about by the amendment Rules.